What is the difference between agnostic and atheist? The main difference between agnostic and atheist is that agnostic believes that it is impossible to know if God exists whereas atheist does not believe in the existence of God.
Religion is a complex thing in human life. Many people tend to interpret the term in different ways depending on their beliefs. The debate has led to emergency of Christianity, agnostic, atheist and Taoism.
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Difference between Agnostic and Atheist With Table
Basic Terms | Agnostic | Atheist |
Believe | It is impossible to know if God exists | Do not believe in the existence of God or religious doctrines |
Important Figures | Thomas Jefferson, Carl Sagan, Piers Anthony, Susan B Anthony | Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, Dan Dennett. |
Life After Death | Does not exist | Tend to vary |
Debate | Disbelieve assertion in the existence and nonexistence of a deity | Disbelieve assertion in the existence of a deity |
Coined by | Thomas Henry Huxley | Ephesians 2:12 reference in the New Testament. |
Who Is Agnostic?
Agnostic refers to individuals who do not claim to know whether there is an existence of God or not. The complicated idea about their claims makes it possible to confuse them with atheism.
Agnostic was coined by Thomas Henry Huxley. Some of the popular figures across the world are Thomas Jefferson, Carl Sagan, Piers Anthony and Susan B Anthon.
These people used to believe that there is no proof that shows the existence of any god and there is nothing like life after death.
Countries with many people not affiliated to any religion are China, the Czech Republic, France, Iceland, and Australia. Also, about 30% of Americans do not feel religion is important.
Who Is an Atheist?
Atheist refers to an individual who does not believe in the existence of religious doctrines and any gods. It is the reason behind the concept being simple to understand.
These individuals do not believe in any gods. They do not affirm any proposition that spearheads at least one god exists. They do not require anything active and even conscious to tell them.
Atheism is something that was coined from the New Testament. Some of the important figures spearheading atheism are Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, and Dan Dennett.
Read More: Difference between Christianity and Judaism
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Main Difference between Agnostic and Atheist in Point Form
- Agnostic refers to people who claim it is impossible to prove the existence of God whereas atheist refers to people who claim there is no existence of gods and religious doctrine.
- Agnostic believe there is nothing like life after death whereas atheist believes tend to vary.
- Agnostic was coined by Thomas Henry Huxley whereas atheist was coined by in New Testament.
- Important figures spearheading agnostic are Thomas Jefferson, Carl Sagan, Piers Anthony, and Susan B Anthony whereas atheist is Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, and Dan Dennett.
- Agnostic demonstrate both existence and nonexistence assertion of a deity whereas atheist only demonstrates nonexistence assertion of a deity.
Similarities between Agnostic and Atheist
- Both beliefs of people
- Both are philosophical view
- Both were derived from ancient Greek
- Both are spearheaded by important figures
FAQs about Agnostic and Atheist
Do Agnostics Believe in God?
Yes. They do believe in the existence of God or gods but they do not have proof. It is the reason behind their classification as atheists to some extent.
What Does An Atheist Believe In?
An atheist is a person who does not believe in the existence of God or any gods. Research shows that the majority of Americans do not believe in anything relating to religious doctrines.
Is Buddhism An Atheist?
No. But it is a tradition that focuses on religious liberation. Buddha himself rejected the idea about the existence of the creator. Most Buddhist philosophers believe that anything relating to the existence of God is a mere distraction of humans seeking to enlighten.
Can a Hindu be Atheist?
Yes. Hinduism consider atheism to be an acceptable concept. But this tends to depend on an individual way of understanding.
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Summary
The difference between agnostic and atheist is based on the philosophical view. Atheist completely believes that there is nothing like higher powers and agnostic believe there is a higher power but there are no claims to prove it.
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